Just because you become shop Steward doesn't mean you are going to put the brakes on the UPS abuse of the contact. UPS management would rather play golf and eat lunches and dinners with the IBT Brass than anything else, in return screwing the membership. Our dues dollars should be used for contract enforcement (not sticker days either) with educational materials for the UPS Teamster Stewards.

Holding the Company accountable is the key here, but it seems the Company would rather make a mockery out of the grievance machinery and we as Teamsters look weak when this happens.

I just want to know what i have to do to become a shop steward...im tired of the BS!!!

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There are many things to know before you start your quest. First and foremost, if you already have a steward, ask him to meet you for lunch on your "offtime" and discuss openly your feelings about his representation. He may have a different perspective than you do.

Second, discuss with him your desire to become "A" steward and this does not mean his replacement. You BOTH can learn together and act together while learning what is necessary to do the job. If his style is to negotiate and your style is to get in someones face, then you will be setting yourself up for failure. We are a team, and together, you can make a better impact on your center than you can by yourself.

Knowing the "contract" means absolutely NOTHING. Knowing how to gain respect of the management, control a meeting, get the members to listen to your advice and act upon that advice and YOU having the ability to stand the "heat" that you will bring upon yourself is the key to success.

Third, understand that you CANNOT campaign, solitict or discuss elections on the SHOP FLOOR on company time! You can be fired for this. Its called "ELECTIONEERING" and you cannot do this. You cannot pass around a petition on the shop floor, or flyers about yourself or ask verbally for votes. This must be done outside the gates of your hub and outside only. If you do this, a protest can be filed against you and you wil be disqualified by the local. In addition, the current steward may press a complaint against you with the company in HR for those actions and you could get in serious trouble.

Fourth, understand that being a steward means having to tell your "buddies" the truth. Just because others are calling you for advice doesnt mean you are helping them. There are many situations where employees will call someone just so they can "hear" what they want to "hear" and you may be providing them with that voice. The truth hurts in some cases and you have to be able to give it without worrying about your own feelings or how they will feel about you later.

Not every case has something in the contract that you can help them with. Take spohr for instance. A guy on his own runs 13.5 stops per hour by himself monday through friday, then a sup rides with him for 3 days and the driver runs 16.0 stops per hour without a single change in the route. Afterwards, the sup gets off car and the driver goes back and does 13.5 stops per hour again monday through friday and the sup gets on his back for not perfoming the 16.0 stops he demonstrated.

How would you handle this situation? Would the driver be correct in saying management is hassling him? Or would you consider that the driver may be goofing around while alone onroad and would you be willing to present that scenario to the driver?

I dont know if you are a driver or not, but this scenario can be used in many applications with work ethic.

Fifth, The company is always going to find ways to discipline us, and as long as they have the help of the international and the locals, you alone are setting yourself up to be a point man, and those usually get killed first.

In this last contract, despite the complaints and calls for its rejection, the IBT approved the new language in article 6 of the NMA and that is getting people fired all across this country. The IBT and the locals "sold" this new language to us as a "safety issue" only and dishonestly told us that it would not be used for discipline. However, today, TELEMATICS is a pure discipline tool.

How would you propose to handle cases that involve telematics where the company attempts to terminate a driver with the full approval of the IBT?

You said "i am tired of the BS!!"

What do you call BS?

Give me an example.

Finally, understand you will bring yourself "heat' from the company, the local and your coworkers if they dont agree with your actions to replace the current shop steward. Accept all that I have told you before you make a decision to do anything.

If you think that being a "tough guy" is going to help your coworkers, remember this, tough guys have an expiration date on the backs of their necks, just like a carton of milk.

Here is an example of what I am talking about. A steward has to remain rational at all times and not get emotionally involved. You said this in another thread about a subject.

"are yall retarded? maybe they should call you at 3 am to come work...why do you punch in if you are always to do as instructed??? "

This is the kind of irrational thought process that a steward cannot have. The thread was talking about END OF SHIFT reassignment and you post this about START TIME adjustments.

This isnt the recipe for good stewardship.

In the other scenario, there isnt enough info to make a rational decision or give advice on. We dont know if the driver was instructed to wait until he was cleared by the pm sups to punch out, or if he was told by the pm sups to stay on the clock. There isnt enough information to make a determination.

Regardless, while in the building in the PM, if you are a lower seniority driver and there is extra work, you dont have a choice, you get the work. LOW MAN goes, its the rule of seniority. We dont send out senior drivers so a lower seniority man can go home. NOT IN MY HUB.

We dont know the seniority of the person in question who posted the story.

In the meantime, you cant give advice on the issue. Many have, and all of them are WRONG.

FACTS first, then decisions. We dont make decisions and HOPE the facts fit.

Learn the difference, and stay within the guidelines of the discussion. The sentence I posted clearly shows you cannot.

I just want to know what i have to do to become a shop steward...im tired of the BS!!!

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I think your a new hirer, maybe 2 to 3 years on the job, not getting your way, senority guys bumping you around, and your not happy, Tell me if and and close. .
If not than state your case why you are tired of the bs.

There are many things to know before you start your quest. First and foremost, if you already have a steward, ask him to meet you for lunch on your "offtime" and discuss openly your feelings about his representation. He may have a different perspective than you do.

Second, discuss with him your desire to become "A" steward and this does not mean his replacement. You BOTH can learn together and act together while learning what is necessary to do the job. If his style is to negotiate and your style is to get in someones face, then you will be setting yourself up for failure. We are a team, and together, you can make a better impact on your center than you can by yourself.

Knowing the "contract" means absolutely NOTHING. Knowing how to gain respect of the management, control a meeting, get the members to listen to your advice and act upon that advice and YOU having the ability to stand the "heat" that you will bring upon yourself is the key to success.

Third, understand that you CANNOT campaign, solitict or discuss elections on the SHOP FLOOR on company time! You can be fired for this. Its called "ELECTIONEERING" and you cannot do this. You cannot pass around a petition on the shop floor, or flyers about yourself or ask verbally for votes. This must be done outside the gates of your hub and outside only. If you do this, a protest can be filed against you and you wil be disqualified by the local. In addition, the current steward may press a complaint against you with the company in HR for those actions and you could get in serious trouble.

Fourth, understand that being a steward means having to tell your "buddies" the truth. Just because others are calling you for advice doesnt mean you are helping them. There are many situations where employees will call someone just so they can "hear" what they want to "hear" and you may be providing them with that voice. The truth hurts in some cases and you have to be able to give it without worrying about your own feelings or how they will feel about you later.

Not every case has something in the contract that you can help them with. Take spohr for instance. A guy on his own runs 13.5 stops per hour by himself monday through friday, then a sup rides with him for 3 days and the driver runs 16.0 stops per hour without a single change in the route. Afterwards, the sup gets off car and the driver goes back and does 13.5 stops per hour again monday through friday and the sup gets on his back for not perfoming the 16.0 stops he demonstrated.

How would you handle this situation? Would the driver be correct in saying management is hassling him? Or would you consider that the driver may be goofing around while alone onroad and would you be willing to present that scenario to the driver?

I dont know if you are a driver or not, but this scenario can be used in many applications with work ethic.

Fifth, The company is always going to find ways to discipline us, and as long as they have the help of the international and the locals, you alone are setting yourself up to be a point man, and those usually get killed first.

In this last contract, despite the complaints and calls for its rejection, the IBT approved the new language in article 6 of the NMA and that is getting people fired all across this country. The IBT and the locals "sold" this new language to us as a "safety issue" only and dishonestly told us that it would not be used for discipline. However, today, TELEMATICS is a pure discipline tool.

How would you propose to handle cases that involve telematics where the company attempts to terminate a driver with the full approval of the IBT?

You said "i am tired of the BS!!"

What do you call BS?

Give me an example.

Finally, understand you will bring yourself "heat' from the company, the local and your coworkers if they dont agree with your actions to replace the current shop steward. Accept all that I have told you before you make a decision to do anything.

If you think that being a "tough guy" is going to help your coworkers, remember this, tough guys have an expiration date on the backs of their necks, just like a carton of milk.

TOS does seem to get 'overly blunt' when talking to you. That is my point. I'm just trying to point out that we all get emotional at some point or other. There is no way she isn't interjecting emotion when she is talking about Fox.
Just Sayin'. I am very emotional-passionate, I like to say, and I was a very effective steward. It all depends.

I disagree about being emotionless. You do need to be able to keep your focus at all times but I think being passionate is a very good trait for a Steward. The ability to blow up at just the right time if necessary is a tool in my arsenal, as well as a calm sit down face to face. Each situation needs a different approach and you have to figure out what will work best. I am not saying I am perfect but I do have the respect and attention of my co-workers and management.

I disagree about being emotionless. You do need to be able to keep your focus at all times but I think being passionate is a very good trait for a Steward. The ability to blow up at just the right time if necessary is a tool in my arsenal, as well as a calm sit down face to face. Each situation needs a different approach and you have to figure out what will work best. I am not saying I am perfect but I do have the respect and attention of my co-workers and management.

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Would you expect a supervisor or division manager to have that trait in their arsenal as well? Would you allow a management person to "blow up" at the right time?

I bet you wouldnt. Be a professional. Blowing up is what someone does when they dont have the right answer.